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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24191959">Lovelorn Beloved</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SykoShadowRose/pseuds/SykoShadowRose'>SykoShadowRose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alicorn!Qrow, Alpha Clover Ebi, Alpha James Ironwood, Alpha Taiyang Xiao Long, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe-Fantasy, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bottom Clover Ebi, Bottom Qrow Branwen, Chemical Torture, F/M, Griffon!James, Hand Jobs, Hybrid!Clover, Hybrid!Qrow, Knotting, Longma!Taiyang, M/M, Masturbation, Mating, Mating Bites, Mating Bonds, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Multi, Mythical Beings &amp; Creatures, Omega Qrow Branwen, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Rimming, Selkie!Clover, Slow Burn, Top Clover Ebi, Top James Ironwood, alpha/beta/omega, bad scientists, genetic manipulation, past dub-con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:48:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>18,077</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24191959</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SykoShadowRose/pseuds/SykoShadowRose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>James, Clover and Taiyang are alphas who are trying to wipe out the facilities that capture and study mythic beings. They're happily mated and proud of their jobs, not even thinking of adding another to their triad until they rescue a beautiful (abused) omega from one of the facilities. Then things in their previously simple life become a bit more complicated as they try to court the skittish Qrow.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Background Relationship(s) - Relationship, Clover Ebi/James Ironwood, Clover Ebi/James Ironwood/Taiyang Xiao Long, Clover Ebi/Taiyang Xiao Long, James Ironwood/Taiyang Xiao Long, Original Character/Original Character, Ozpin/Salem, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi/James Ironwood/Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood, Qrow Branwen/Taiyang Xiao Long</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>92</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Lovelorn Beloved</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Sooo… Apparently Mythical Creatures/Fantasy is my groove because they seemed to be the longest one-shots I write. This thing is an absolute beast! Like holy shit man! And when I tag Slow Burn, I seriously mean S.l.o.w. B.u.r.n. It takes over 13k for these idiots (that we love) to get their shit together. So if you want something where they hit it right off, this is not the story for you!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>James led his team through the stone halls of the building they had taken over, freeing the different creatures from the cages and cells they’d been imprisoned in for gods only knew how long. He stopped to help break a particularly strong lock on a garuda, getting the human shaped female out of the cage so she could be treated. Gods, he hated these experimentation and breeding facilities. It was bad enough when humans were responsible for it but to find one that was being run by mythics like themselves was beyond reprehensible. The mythics being released looked in worse shape than the ones they’d ever saved from any human-run facility, probably because humans had less knowledge to use against their captives. He sighed as he helped a female elf over to the medics, deep blue eyes glancing over at his two mates who were supporting a large alpha male that might have been some breed of sea dragon. </p><p>They had met in a human-run facility back when James and his allies had first started this quest to stop what was happening. It had just been him and a few others infiltrating and breaking out as many mythics as they could save back then. Now, just a few years later, after so many of the victims joining the fight, they had become a true force to be reckoned with. Their group, Star Liberty, had finally gotten strong enough that some previously neutral parties were willing to start offering aid to boost their success. As happy as James was for the help, he wished they had been willing to take the risk on their own like he and his lovers and their allies did.</p><p>Clover, he knew, had been born and raised in the place they had found him. The brunette hadn’t yet turned seventeen when James had been locked up with them in the alpha wing of the facility and James always regretted not getting him out before his birthday, even if the selkie insisted it still counted to be freed afterwards. James had, after all, promised him when he turned seventeen that he would get him free and he’d kept that promise. He remembered the way those beautiful teal eyes had widened, trying to take everything in all at once, the first time he’d been outside in his life. Seeing the reaction, the griffon still felt like he should have done more. He couldn’t imagine never knowing any life but that in a room or a cage.</p><p>Taiyang had been captured and experimented on, though they were still trying to figure out what all had been done to him. James had actually spent quite a bit of time during his captivity trying to take care of the longma through the bars that separated them. The blond had seemed to be a favorite test subject, likely because his kind were not very common. It had pissed James off to see the kind man suffering, pale blue eyes fighting to stay open more often than not, and he admitted that he may have been a bit more violent with the humans who did the experiments on Tai than with the others in the facility. </p><p>The relationship between them had tentatively started in those polished cages with James tending to a constantly recovering Tai and reassuring Clover that there was a better life waiting outside of their imprisonment. The two had joined him in his fight after they’d gotten free, Tai wanting to stop it from happening to anyone else and Clover just wanting to help. He had no idea how to survive outside of the facility and ended up relying on the two older alphas he’d gotten close to those months trapped together. James was overwhelmed when, after joining them, the selkie had asked the two to guard his skin while he was on land. They knew just how important a task they were given and neither took it lightly. Even now they had matching packs, one with Clover’s true skin in it and the other with a decoy. Only the three of them knew who held the real one on any given day.</p><p>The two younger men joined him as he moved from the breeding wing to the experimentation wing, starting with the alphas (who usually took the brunt of the scientists attention) and working towards the betas. He paused when he came to what was usually the end of the wings. There was a reinforced door at the end of the hall instead of a normal one leading to a storage room. A faint, sweet scent (cherries and champagne) managed to seep past the barricade, hinting at what was behind the door. </p><p>“<i>Tai, Clover with me!</i>” He felt both his mates join him and carefully forced open the door, dreading what was inside. </p><p>Most mythics were beta though alphas weren’t uncommon. Omegas were rare though, even among the females, and in all the years he’d been freeing the mythics he’d been lucky enough not to find one in any of the facilities. (Femmes could be alpha, beta or omega but it was nearly impossible to tell the difference, even by scent, until their mating cycle hit, marking them as an alpha or omega, and they either dominated or submitted respectively. The fact that he could smell this omega meant it was a male which was even more rare than a female one.) He had known that eventually he’d find one, but he had hoped that it would be in a human-run building where they wouldn’t know what they had captured. (Or at least a female who could be mistaken for a beta if she was clever enough.) Considering this omega was isolated from everyone else, there was no way the mythics running this hell hadn’t known what they had found. (He desperately hoped the omega had been found and not born here.) </p><p>Finally entering the room, the first thing that struck him was <i>black</i>.</p><p>The glistening, dark coat of the breath-taking equine gleamed sharply in shades of blue and purple under the fluorescent lights, drawing the attention of the alphas to him even without his scent calling out in distress. His wings, large feathered things, where spread up and out, held pinned in painful looking clamps. His (sharp) silver hooves were chained to the ground with thick shackles and his feathered tail was wrapped up in chains. The omega’s head, crystal horn shining brightly and dangerously, was held in place by a collar and harness with even more chains and the bastards had put a modified bit in mouth so that he couldn’t bite them. (James didn’t approve but it was a valid fear, the stallion had fangs from what he could see.)</p><p>“I’ve never seen one like this.” Tai whispered reverently as he stepped cautiously forward. “He doesn’t look like any alicorn or pegacorn I’ve ever met. He must be some other unicorn hybrid.” Speaking more loudly the dragon-horse stood in front of the imprisoned omega. “My name is Taiyang, this is James and Clover. We’re with the group that is freeing the mythics from these establishments. If you could just… not hurt us while we get you out, please?”</p><p>There was a snort from the mythic followed by a short whinny, probably the closest he could get to a verbal confirmation, and his ears relaxed from where they’d been laid flat. James immediately reached to free the wings as the clamps looked the most painful, while Tai worked the bindings of the bit loose. Clover had knelt down to free the omega’s legs from the shackles, James could hear the metal clanking as the chains fell free. There was a fine tremor that ran through the sleek, dark body and for a moment the griffon worried that the three alphas had made the omega feel threatened by crowding him. Then he realized it was the stallion trying to hold still while they worked so he didn’t hurt any of them. He wondered how long the poor mythic had been forced to stay in that position and worked faster, determined to get him free so he could move and stretch. Tai had gotten the collar and harness off and James stepped behind the black body to unchain his tail. The griffon in him couldn’t help noticing the long feathers and their design, black like the rest of him but at the end of each feather was a rose pink oval with a crimson drop falling into a silver crescent. (He wondered what breed of mythic the feathers came from, his tail was so long it dragged on the floor by at least a couple feet.) </p><p>Once everything was undone the three alpha males moved back to give the omega room and he took the silent offer, rearing up and flapping his wings, running in a few small circles and generally getting the feel of being allowed to move again. They flinched back when fire sparked off his hooves and flowed down the feathers of his wings, mane, and tail. Still thinking of the feathers, James wondered if he was part hippogriff (James himself was part hippogriff as they were descendant from griffons and often chose them as mates) but there was something that didn’t quite seem to fit with that possibility. The male shifted, his slender body leaning back against a wall with a sigh of relief. The alphas took the opportunity to look him over for injuries and noticed several bruieses and scuffs but nothing major that couldn’t be healed easily. The beautiful raven haired omega was several inches shorter than Clover (the shortest of the three alphas) and was slighter in build than any of them. His eyes, when he looked over to them, were a soft red filled with gratefulness, a gentle smile playing around his lips.</p><p>“Thank you.” The voice was so soft and raspy that for a moment they weren’t sure the omega had actually spoken. They wondered if it was naturally that way or if it was a side effect of the captivity.</p><p>“No problem. It’s what we’re here to do after all. What’s your name?” Tai smiled, keeping the same friendly tone he had when he’d spoken earlier. He was used to dealing with the more skittish mythics they freed as James often came across as intimidating without meaning to and Clover wasn’t always taken seriously due to his young age.</p><p>“Qrow.” The omega gave the blond a full smirk. “And you’re right. I’m not a pegacorn or a typical alicorn but I am a unicorn hybrid. Alicorn is an easy term for me though- it can count for any breed of winged unicorn after all.” He tucked his battered hands into the pockets of his pants, letting his body relax against the support. He’d probably been forced to stand for days and if there had been a chair available they would have offered it to him.</p><p>“Not gonna tell us what breed you are though, are you?” The blond crossed his arms, chuckling as he leaned against the wall behind him as well.</p><p>“Where’s the fun in that?” Qrow gave them a cheeky grin, obviously enjoying the banter, but they could see exhaustion was beginning to wear on him and despite the front he put up, there was an undercurrent of fear in his voice. Whatever his lineage was, he was afraid of them finding out. </p><p>“Will you allow our medics to check you over?” James stepped forward, gesturing behind him to where the others would be waiting with the rest of the captives. They would need to gain the male’s trust before they tried to press the issue of what he was. For now, James just wanted to ensure he was unharmed by his captivity.</p><p>“Doubt I need it. They’ve only had me for a week and most of that was spent trying to get me immobile.” The smaller raven pushed off the wall and started towards the door. James could feel both of his mates gearing up to argue before the omega continued. “But it’ll probably make you lot feel better, so sure. Slap a few band-aids on me and call it a day.”</p><p>The alphas frowned at the lithe omega’s flippant attitude toward his own health but said nothing just in case he decided to change his mind in retaliation. Choosing not to overwhelm the alicorn (he didn’t want him to think they were stalking him or anything), James motioned for Tai to take the slender male to the medics while he and Clover checked in with everyone else. The longma would alert them if there were any major medical issues that needed to be dealt with.</p><p>~</p><p>Qrow was right that there were no serious injuries and that he didn’t require much in the way of medical attention. He was also correct that getting the attention still made the rescuers feel better about letting him walk around. (Not that any of them thought they could have stopped him anyways.) The medics who tended to him were concerned though, he’d been imprisoned for a week and the mythics running the place had not been supplying suppressants to any of their captives for the purposes of breeding them. He’d been given a powerful injection to (hopefully) prevent him from going into heat but it wasn’t guaranteed to work. (It was better than doing nothing. An omega’s heat could send all of the alphas into rut, even those who took suppressants regularly.)</p><p>What worried Tai (and his mates when he pointed it out and explained things to them later) was the way Qrow had hunched in on himself when the healers had mentioned the possibility of him going into heat. He’d seen that reaction before (of the three alphas he had the most experience with omegas, there had been several in his village growing up as one family had a particular knack for birthing them, plus there were the ones he’d met traveling). It was a clear sign of an omega who’d been taken advantage of during a heat. It usually also meant that the omega hadn’t been treated well by the alpha that had used them. As an alpha that was raised better, he’d never understood how someone could treat another like that. It just plain pissed him off whenever it came up and the few times he’d met the alphas who’d done it it had resulted in quite an impressive amount of collateral damage.</p><p>Seeing the beautiful male try to shrink into his own shadow to hide made fire race in his blood, threatening to consume him with the need to hunt down every alpha that had ever hurt him. However, he knew that kind of aggression could be misunderstood by the abused omega and did his best to breathe through it. The rage was still there simmering under his skin but he had control of it now. (His mates would be experiencing a similar problem after he explained but thankfully it would be in the privacy of their own home when they wouldn’t have to worry about upsetting Qrow by accident.) Offering him his own home back at their base had seemed to help ease the omega’s fears, especially when he saw that it locked in three different ways and they explained that the materials used to build the place were designed to muffle scent. It was after they had helped the alicorn settle into his new home, providing everything he might need in the coming days, that they had retreated to their own place and Tai had explained what he knew. </p><p>~</p><p>Clover swam through the “habitat” that was behind their house. Last night had been stressful in the worst way after Tai had gotten through explaining Qrow’s reaction a few days ago when the medics had looked him over at the facility. Having been born and raised in a breeding wing of one of the mythic prisons, he was more than familiar with others being coerced into mating. Growing up he believed that was just how things were. It wasn’t until James had infiltrated the hell he lived in that he learned better. Now the knowledge of what was being done was horrifying. The idea that it was happening outside the breeding facilities was even worse because those mythics should have had a proper choice. </p><p>The selkie wondered what could be done to help the omega. He had no doubt his eldest lover was already thinking of ways to help where he was roosted up in the trees. Clover knew that there was help available to the victims of the facilities but would the same help work for someone who’d been abused before ever being in one of the buildings? He didn’t see why it wouldn’t work but the help he’d received had more to do with teaching him what life was supposed to be like. He also hadn’t been used for breeding at the time of his rescue, he’d still been too young for his rut. (They tended to happen between eighteen and twenty but could be later.)</p><p>Tai would probably know how to help Qrow best. The longma seemed to connect with the alicorn and while he wasn’t a full fledged counselor he had taken some classes to help the victims they were saving. Though at the moment the blond was probably baking off his anger or using it to scrub something down. He tended to be productive like that when his temper threatened to take over. Maybe he and James could join in and work off some of their own. At the very least the three of them might be able to think of some way of helping Qrow.</p><p>~</p><p>Qrow paced the length of his living room, anxiousness creeping in at the edges of his mind. The injection hadn’t stopped him from going into heat, he had felt the restlessness that preceded the heat yesterday. Today he could feel the fever already starting and knew he would be slicking soon. His first heat had been in the Spring just before his eighteenth birthday. He’d never been able to get on suppressants before and with one heat every season for the last five years he was more than familiar with the sensation. What he wasn’t sure about was going through it alone. </p><p>Growing up he’d always been with his herd and there’d always been an alpha around to get him through it (whether he wanted that alpha to or not). They’d known his heritage, had always told him that he should be grateful they were willing to help him despite knowing what he was. Even after he’d gotten older and left he could never seem to escape the alphas when his heat came. And every time it happened they discovered what he was. (There was something in his scent that only sharpened enough to be detected during his heat.) It never ended well for him. He didn’t want that to happen again. But here, if what he was told was the truth, he could avoid being mounted and bred. He just wasn’t sure if that’s what he wanted. </p><p>He’d never actually had a choice before. </p><p>Qrow came to an abrupt stop as he realized he may not actually have a choice now either. Was there even an alpha in this community that would knot him if that’s what he wanted? Biting his lip he picked up the scroll he’d been given. The three (strong, gorgeous) alphas that had freed him (and maybe, possibly triggered his heat with their alluring, spicy scents being all around him during the three day journey here) had told him to call if he needed anything. He doubted this was what they meant but surely it couldn’t hurt to ask about what kind of solutions were available to him could it?</p><p>~</p><p>Tai huffed out an annoyed breath as his scroll rang, interrupting his cookie making. It wasn’t until he picked it up and saw that the incoming call was from Qrow that his emotions shifted towards concern. The omega had seemed rather dismissive of their offer of help the day before while they were getting him settled. If he were calling it had to be serious. “Hello?”</p><p>
  <i> “Um… Hi… I, uh, I had a question to ask. It’s probably not appropriate or anything. And it’s probably gonna make things awkward but…”</i>
</p><p>“Whatever it is, don’t worry about it. We told you to call if you needed anything after all. But I do want you to know that if you’re asking one of us, you’re asking all of us unless you specifically tell us not to share. Actual secrets aren’t really a thing in our relationship. What’s the question?” Tai tried to be reassuring, to coax the other into confiding in him. The pretty omega had taken well to the triad on the trip but now that he had his own space (possibly for the first time ever in his life) he might not like them invading, verbally or physically, no matter how well intentioned they were.</p><p><i>“Well… The shot didn’t stop my heat and I’ve never gone through one solo before…”</i> Tai had suspected as much from his previous behaviour. He could hear rustling on the other end that suggested Qrow was trying to find a comfortable position to rest in and tried not to picture the other curled up in bed, fighting off the need and fever. <i>“I don’t even know <b>how</b> to get through one alone, so I was wondering what I’m supposed to do… or if there’s an alpha I’m supposed to go to when my heat hits…”</i></p><p>“First of all, while we do have some mythics who volunteer to help omegas through their heats and alphas through their rut if that’s what they choose, there are other options.” He wanted to make absolutely sure the other knew this before anything else. He deserved that respect regardless of what he was probably raised to believe of himself. “Because you’re an omega and we didn’t know if the shot would work or not the medics left a heat kit in the bathroom under the sink. It has supplies in it that should help you get through it alone if you want, though in the interest of honesty, from what I’ve been told it isn’t as effective as an alpha. I would still recommend trying it if you have any doubts at all though.” The longma resolutely blocked out his alpha hindbrain that was trying to offer himself as a possible option. He wouldn’t do that to his mates first of all and secondly he refused to take advantage of the situation.</p><p>
  <i>“If I… choose not to use the kit… Do I get to pick who mates with me… or is it just random?”</i>
</p><p>“You would be given a list of willing mythics to pick from with some basic information. Under emergency contacts is the medics, they can send you a list. Even if you ask for it, you don’t have to pick any of them if you change your mind.” Tai used his most reassuring voice when explaining that part. The alpha wanted to make absolutely certain that the omega knew his rights in their community. He heard a sigh over the line that he probably wasn’t meant to hear. It had to have been unnerving for someone like Qrow, who probably never had any choice in the past, to not know what would happen. Even if Tai was pissed at all the alphas who’d ever used him with or without his consent, he understood that Qrow at least had the certainty of knowing what would happen when his heat hit in the past.</p><p>
  <i>“Thank you.”</i>
</p><p>“Whatever you need. Just ask and we’ll do whatever we can.” Tai felt better with the situation knowing that the omega wouldn’t feel obligated to find an alpha, even if he still hated the way the other had been treated growing up. There was only so much they could do for him now but they would do all they could for as long as Qrow would accept their aid.</p><p>~</p><p>The smaller raven felt much better after talking to Taiyang. (It hadn’t escaped his notice that the alpha had said “mythics” to help on the list, not alphas. It hadn’t ever occurred to him that other mythics could help with his heat. He’d only ever been with alphas.) Worrying his lip with anxiousness, the alicorn made his way to the bathroom. He may never have been through a heat alone before but he could try it just this once, right? To see if he could handle it on his own in the future now that he was allowed to. (There was a strange rush of freedom and fear that rushed through him at the thought. Free from being used but afraid an alpha from his herd would find him and punish him for not fulfilling his duty as an omega.)</p><p>Finding the kit Tai had told him about wasn’t hard. There was a wrapped toy (not the biggest but big enough to get the job done) with a fake knot that inflated when the button was pushed (the batteries were next to it). A bottle of lube was provided. (Most omegas were self-lubricating but he knew there were medical conditions that prevented some from slicking, so it wasn’t a complete surprise to find it.) There was also a patch that was designed to smell like an alpha to help ease the omegas through the heat. (He hadn’t even thought of that.)</p><p>He took it into the bedroom and stripped down, feeling too restricted in his clothes. Settling into the bed, he set everything out around him. Looking through it, most of the kit was self-explanatory, though there were instructions for younger mythics who didn’t know what to do. There was one part of the instructions he didn’t understand though and he found himself reaching for his scroll again without even thinking about it. </p><p>~</p><p>James followed Clover back inside, the two of them heading to the kitchen to find cookies everywhere. The younger alpha paused for only a step before shrugging and snagging a plate of snickerdoodles to munch on. James shook his head and went to the fridge to get a drink. Tai was standing up from pulling another set of cookies out of the oven. (Peanutbutter chocolate chip by the smell of them.) </p><p>“You guys feeling better now?”</p><p>“As good as can be.”</p><p>James was about to second that when Tai’s scroll rang and he reached over to place it on speaker while he moved the cookies to the cooling rack. “Qrow?” Both their eyebrows went up at that. The other had to have known without looking because he’d programmed a ringtone to the omega but when had he done it?</p><p><i>“What do the instructions mean when they say to prepare before using the fake knot?”</i> Qrow sounded so confused, it would have been comical if not for the actual question itself. </p><p>The blond paused, closing his eyes and counting to five (he didn’t have time to count to ten) before opening them again. “I am going to find and murder every alpha you’ve ever met… Qrow… Prepping is what an alpha <b>should</b> do to ensure that they don’t hurt you during mating.”</p><p><i>“Oh… So… How do I do that?”</i> </p><p>Tai saw the way James’ shoulders tensed at the innocent question with the not-so-innocent implications while Clover had frozen solid when the question had been asked. Even in the breeding wing most alpha’s had stretched their partners, coerced mating or not. Just what kind of alphas had been in the alicorn’s life? The youngest alpha wished briefly that the three of them were with the omega so they could show him how an alpha was <i>supposed</i> to treat him. He had no doubt both his older mates felt the same.</p><p>Blowing out a breath to keep his cool, Tai tried to figure out how to word it in a way that would make sense to the omega. And to do it as impersonally as possible without coming across as skeevie. “I know you’re probably slicking but lube will make things easier on you so go ahead and use some on your hand. You start with your fingers. You’re going to use one first, put it inside yourself to get used to it. Once you feel ready enough, you add a second and spread them apart to stretch the muscle. Then do a third finger.” There was a small whimper from the scroll and <i>oh, gods</i>, Qrow was following the instructions that Tai was giving him <i>right now</i>. He saw realization dawn on both his mates, Clover’s face turning red while he squirmed in his seat and James’ jaw dropping slightly while his eyes widened, a blush tinting his cheeks. His own face heating, Tai swallowed hard as any and all plans for avenging the omega slammed into a wall of lust and shattered. </p><p>He really wished he were a better man because he didn’t have it in him to stop the heat-stricken omega and he felt the smaller male had been taken advantage of enough. He’d have to find a way to make it up to the smaller male somehow. </p><p><i>“‘T’s not enough… How do I know when I’m ready?”</i> The alicorn’s raspy voice was breathless and strained, wrecking whatever decency the alphas had left in them. Of all the ways alphas had used him to get off, surely this would be the least objectionable way for the alicorn? (It didn’t make any of the three feel better about the fact that they were hardening as little mewls reverberated from the speakers.) </p><p>“There’s a spot you need to find first.” By all that existed, if he was going to teach the omega how to do this over the scroll then he was going to do it right. He had that much decency left in him at least. “Curl your fingers a bit until-” A surprised scream cut him off and he grinned wickedly, hyper focused on the whimpers coming across the line. He did spare a glance at his mates, noticing that James had closed his eyes and was breathing deeply. Clover, he saw, had folded his arms and buried his head there. He did so love teasing them both, though he never imagined he’d be doing it via (what equated to) scroll-sex with an omega. “There you go. Work on that spot for a bit.”</p><p><i>“Oh gods! What was that?”</i> Another shout followed, proving that Qrow was still following Tai’s instructions even as he asked the question. </p><p>“Prostate or sweet spot. Whichever you prefer. Keep going, you’re doing so good.” A little chirping purr came from the scroll. <i>Oh!</i> Seems the little raven liked being praised. He hadn’t meant to, he’d just wanted to encourage the other, but he still filed the information away. Tai shifted, hot and hard in his pants but refusing to touch himself until after the call was over. Just because they were going to be using this to fuel their own mating didn’t mean they had to be barbarians about it. The three of them would take care of each other once Qrow knew everything he needed to know and would be able to take care of his own needs. Speaking of which… “You should be loose enough to use the fake knot now. You probably don’t need the lube but use it anyway just to be sure. Ease it in slowly, push in a little and pull it back out. Then go a little deeper on the next push. Just remember to aim for that spot when you have it all the way in alright? It’ll make things much better for you.”</p><p><i>“Yea, yea. Okay. Thanks.”</i> </p><p>The line had barely gone silent before James was pulling Clover off the seat by his arm and shoving Tai with the other hand towards the bedroom. Tai grinned to himself. The griffon tended to be overly cautious when he was with them but the dragon-horse enjoyed it immensely when the elder mythic lost the control he kept about him and let loose on him. It was rare that he pulled Clover into it though. (Tai could totally take him at his worst but they both worried the selkie might be triggered by the more aggressive mating that they sometimes provoked each other into.) He supposed they were about to find out just how well the brunette would handle it. At least he knew that they could stop if it became too much for the younger alpha.</p><p>~</p><p>Qrow panted as he thrust the toy into himself, breathing in the alpha pheromone patch that had been provided. It wasn’t perfect, there was a slight chemical scent due to the artificial nature of the patch, and it certainly wasn’t the scent he wanted to be breathing, but it was still better than he’d been expecting. He would have liked to have kept the call going. Taiyang’s voice had been a nice anchor against the waves of need trying to drown him but he wasn’t sure the blond’s mates (who he also wouldn’t have minded hearing) would be okay with him using the longma in such a manner. (He didn’t delude himself into thinking they might want him in any way when they had each other.) </p><p>The instructions (and praise) had been nice too. (Just because they wouldn’t want him didn’t mean he was going to ignore the offer of help, even if he would have liked a bit more “personal” help. He hadn’t known that spot existed before the blond directed him to it. Was that something every alpha knew about or only some?) He still had a bit of a buzz from hearing the other tell him he was doing good. It should have been ridiculous to hear but… He suspected it had something to do with instincts. (He hoped.)</p><p>The omega bit his lip as he pushed the toy in again and activated the knot, using his other hand to jerk himself off. He could see why Tai had told him that the kit wasn’t as effective as an alpha but he was still glad he had tried it. Even though the kit checked every need he had (the pheromones and the knot) he still felt incomplete and needy. (Even with him following the order to aim for his “sweet spot”.) Still, it was better (much, much better) than being mounted and used by an alpha he didn’t want. (Any of his three rescuers would have been welcome if they weren’t already mated. Apparently his luck continued to be awful when it came to alphas. In the opposite direction this time.)</p><p>The fever hadn’t eased much after the first orgasm (though the whole heat wasn’t as intense as he expected, he had contacted the medics after he ended his first call with Tai and they said that might be the failed injection having an affect) and he figured that going solo would likely take longer than with a partner. He could probably change his mind and still ask for the list but he found he didn’t want just anybody. (And the ones he wanted were taken.) Besides, he should learn to get used to it. He might be living like this for a while after all. Once the first wave was over with, he’d shower and eat and then have another go. Maybe, since he was more coherent that usual, he could send a message to the alpha triad to let them know he had declined a partner. (He didn’t know why he felt like he had to tell them but he did. Damn his omega hindbrain.)</p><p>~</p><p>Tai panted, trying to catch his breath while he watched James descend on Clover. <i>Shit!</i> They’d barely started and James had already gotten him off twice and Clover once, soon to be twice. They’d gotten to wring James out once each and Tai didn’t think they were anywhere near done. He hadn’t realized the omega alicorn would have such a profound effect on them, especially since he’d only been on the scroll and not actually in the room with them. The smaller raven would absolutely wreck them if he went into heat where they could scent him. He doubted any of the three of them would be able to stay in control of their instincts, which was a strong testament to the alicorn’s appeal. They’d never given any other omega that had moved into the community for safety, the kind of attention they’d given Qrow over the few days they’d known him.</p><p>Taiyang decided (while watching the griffon regain enough calm to carefully and lovingly work open their selkie lover) that they were going to need to invite Qrow over when this was all over so they could get to know him better. Then he pushed all other thoughts from his mind and scooted forward. He could help James out just a bit by holding the brunette’s hands down. And if he so happened to leave a few hickies while he was there, well… </p><p>~</p><p>Qrow sat uncomfortably in the large living room, trying not to focus on any of the pictures around the room. While he had no problem (at all) with the triad, he would have liked not to be reminded that he’d never have the kind of adoring mating bond they shared so openly with each other. Still, he’d been invited over and it would have been rude to decline when they were just trying to help him. (It was nice to have people trying to include him, he just had to make sure they never discovered what all he was and hopefully they could be friends if nothing else. Plus there was no rule saying he couldn’t look just because he couldn’t touch.) He was pretty sure they were just checking to see how he was doing after his first solo heat, so the visit wouldn’t take long. He could go be lonesome in his own house when it was all over. </p><p>“Here, probably should have asked if you like raspberry tea first. Sorry for that.” The brunette offered an apologetic smile as he set the glass down.</p><p>“Oh, it’s no problem.” Qrow didn’t actually favor tea at all but he liked fruit so hopefully he’d be able to drink it without offending his hosts.</p><p>“James and Tai are just finishing up with a last minute call. They got a tip on another facility and wanted to get someone to look into it as soon as possible.”</p><p>Qrow raised a hand to stall the alpha. “Trust me, you do not ever have to apologize for anything related to stopping those places to me.”</p><p>“If you’re sure…” Clover gave his guest a bemused look at the continued insistence. He was used to guests, even ones they’d rescued, being more indignant that they were being put on hold. So many of them felt like those in the building weren’t going anywhere and if they had waited to be saved so could the current prisoners. It wasn’t a thought process any of the triad could understand. They were of the belief that the sooner they could save the mythics, the better.</p><p>“Actually…” Clover braced himself, waiting for Qrow to admit to being upset, so what came next floored him. “Since I’m here, I have an idea for a way I can help with that.” </p><p>~</p><p>Tai checked in with the medics, ensuring all the mythics would be fine before heading over to James. They had found more mythic-run facilities than they had ever feared existed with Qrow’s help. (None of them liked him playing bait but they couldn’t deny that it was effective.) Human-run ones were just as quick to grab him when given the chance though. The griffon was currently touching base with all the rescue teams, ensuring that everyone in the building was either freed (if they’d been a captive) or captured (if they’d been one of the bastards running the place). Clover had already freed Qrow who, after being cleared by a healer, had taken the selkie with him to search for stragglers with the other teams as had become their modus operandi since the alicorn joined their ranks. </p><p>The three alphas essentially took turns with who would free the omega and search with him once he’d been cleared (though James got to go with him less often as he was the de facto leader of their group). They’d been trying to court the skittish alicorn without much result since he’d started getting help for his past abuse. It felt like every time they started to get somewhere with the equine, he’d pull away from them. If any of them thought it was because he didn’t return their affection, they’d stop and back off immediately. They didn’t think it was that though. Qrow sought them out frequently, sometimes without meaning to or thinking about it. Like it was the most natural thing in the world to him to go to them whenever. The best Tai could guess was that the omega though he wasn’t worthy of them (probably something that he’d been raised to believe and enforced by the treatment of alphas over his lifetime), which was utter bullshit. They just had to get him to believe it. </p><p>The longma had just reached his older mate when a bolt of <i>something</i> shot over the mating bond with Clover. He shared a brief worried look with the griffon before they were both running, the alpha leader calling out for a rescue and a medic team to join them en route. Something had happened to their youngest mate and somebody was going to pay for it dearly… </p><p>~</p><p>Clover groaned as he came to. The last thing he remembered was entering the children’s wing to free the little ones there and then… There had been a pinprick of pain from a dart. Qrow! The alicorn had been with him when he went down. Teal eyes searched frantically, taking stock of the situation from his restrained position, finally locking on the equally restrained omega. Qrow was suspended in a metal ring, his hands and feet locking into the material. Red eyes were wide open and glaring at a small team of, what he guessed to be, (human?) scientists. A pair of the team seemed focused on him while the rest were closer to Clover. The lower half of his face was covered in a mask and if the feel of his own face was anything to go by, there was some kind of gag below, which seemed kind of excessive to him but what did he know. Contrary to Qrow, who was in the air because of the ring, Clover was strapped down, laying flat on a t-built medi-bed. Also in contrast to the smaller male, the selkie could see an IV tapped to the crook of his elbow. </p><p>If these humans had been working with the mythics to conduct the experiments then they were just as dangerous as any mythic scientist would be. He could hear what they were saying but he couldn’t tell which one was talking.</p><p>“They’re both hybrids but the alpha is harder to distinguish.”</p><p>“Don’t fret, this procedure should enhance the recessive qualities enough for us to study them effectively.”</p><p>“Hold off on any experiments with the omega, if he’s truly a unicorn we may need him for the alpha. We don’t know for sure how this injection will affect him.”</p><p>“That’s fine, we’re still studying his blood.”</p><p>“His primary lineage as a unicorn is confirmed but he also had a breed of phoenix blood in him. We haven’t pin-pointed which breed yet though. It would seem that his unicorn parent hadn’t been a pureblood either, though what hybrid they were is inconclusive.”</p><p>“What’s really fascinating about him is that he’s descendant from the Nuckelavee and a each-uisge.”</p><p>“Each-uisge?”</p><p>“Demonic water horse, similar to a kelpie but much more vicious.”</p><p>“So he’s half holy and half unholy? You’re right… that <i>is</i> fascinating…”</p><p>“I thought the two couldn’t cross-breed…”</p><p>“They can but it is extremely rare. They tend to be natural enemies so mating them is difficult enough but conception is complicated and rarely carries all the way to term.” </p><p>“Sir, we’re ready to begin.”</p><p>“Good, good. Administer the serum and monitor his vital signs.”</p><p>“Yes sir.”</p><p>Clover watched, fear thrumming under his skin, as the needle slid into the IV and a new liquid ran down the tube. Teal met red, panic shining from both, as the fluid reached the end of the line and entered his system. A severe burning sensation began at the entry point, quickly spreading along his arm and consuming the rest of his body. His eyes clenched shut, unable to stay open, as his heart began racing, feeling like it was trying to break free of his chest. He wished James and Tai were here with him. (He knew they were probably searching, could feel it over the mating bond, but they were too late to stop whatever was happening.)</p><p>Qrow felt helpless as Clover writhed in his restraints, probably in so much pain he didn’t even realize he was screaming as much as the gag would allow. The concern for the brunette completely overrode the fear that the other now knew what he was. It wasn’t nearly as important as the screen flashing red as the alpha’s vitals went in all critical directions. He cursed the metal that held him, preventing him from shifting. If he could have, he would have taken his full, proper form and killed all of the so-called scientists long before they had hurt the gentle selkie. He pulled (ineffectually) at the clamps holding his hands to his forearms and his feet at his shins. If he could just get free, he could help the other get through this alive, if not unscathed. </p><p>Tossing his head restlessly while he struggled, Qrow noticed that the door on the wall to their left was starting to glow. He hadn’t heard any noises from it with the screaming and the alarms. The scientists were too focused on Clover to see it as it turned from chrome to orange to red and <i>Holy shit!</i> Someone was <i>melting</i> the whole door away to get throu- Oh! Taiyang was a longma! The dragon-horse could breathe fire just as easily as any dragon. (Better even, due to the experimentation done to him.) Crimson darted to Clover, still thrashing in the grip of whatever he’d been injected with. He wished he had some way to assure the other that he’d be safe soon, that his mates had found them.</p><p>Sure enough, once the hole was big enough to fit him, the golden scaled winged equine leaped through, landing hard and rearing up with a roar. James jumped through in human form to avoid the still molten metal at the edges and shifted upon landing, engaged screech ringing in Qrow’s ears as his wings flared out. The scientists had no chance at all against two furious alphas when they had hurt their mate. Clover hadn’t seemed to notice the arrival of his fellow alphas, Qrow knew that meant the worst for the scientists who’d done it to him. He couldn’t find it in himself to feel even the smallest drop of pity for them. Not with all they’d done to Clover and any other mythic they could get their hands on.</p><p>In the aftermath the two shifted down, medics finally filing into the room to try to help the selkie. Qrow frantically tried to get their attention so they would free him because <i> he could fucking help!</i> It was Tai that first realized he was fighting to get free and he pulled James over to help. Neither of them would do anything but get in the medics way. If they couldn’t help their mate then at least they could help their friend. (It didn’t feel like enough. It would never feel like enough. The two of them would remember Clover’s muffled screams for <i>years.</i> The only blessing was that the scientists hadn’t done it to both of them.)</p><p>Qrow was lunging as soon as he touched the ground, shoving the medics out of his way and shifting up. Placing his front hooves on the end of the bed, Qrow folded his wings down to cover the alpha and pressed the tip of his horn to his chest, just deep enough to touch his heart. The alicorn blocked out the shouting around him, summoning healing energy down the crystal and into the other while losing his fire. The regenerative flames poured down his feathers and over the prone form, strengthening him further. He continued to burn for several minutes, until he was certain that the other was through whatever had been done, before he cooled his fire and <i>carefully</i> withdrew his horn. (He didn’t want to accidentally break the tip off inside the man. That would be unfortunate for both of them.) </p><p>Qrow stepped back on unsteady legs, watching as Clover gingerly sat up with Tai’s help. James caught him when he shifted back down, both powerful arms around his waist to keep him on his feet. Using his horn to heal others was relatively easy, using his fire- not so much. He leaned heavily against the sturdy alpha, watching as Tai fretted over Clover, who had stood up and was looking himself over. From the outside he seemed unchanged, but the medics (still spazzing about Qrow’s little stunt) were going to have to examine him to determine what had been done. He had no doubts that they would want to look him over as well after the move he’d pulled and the obvious toll it took on him. He just hoped none of them looked <i>too</i> closely.</p><p>He couldn’t do much about Clover knowing what he was now, but he trusted the gentle alpha with the information in a way he’d never trusted another before. Qrow also knew that if the one alpha knew, the other two would learn it unless he asked Clover not to share. He was okay with it though. If anyone was going to know his heritage then he would choose these alphas. He truly believed the triad wouldn’t hurt him for it. Besides, he didn’t want his secret to come between the three of them in any way. Just not here. He’d wait until they were back at home before he brought it up. He wouldn’t leave the responsibility to Clover. He could do it himself. </p><p>~</p><p>“So, you’re one of a kind then?” Tai leaned forward in his seat, showing that he was honestly interested in what Qrow was telling them. The alicorn could detect no hostility from him or from James, who sat to his right. Clover, already knowing some of what had been told, leaned into James’ side with a sigh.</p><p>“Not… exactly…” Qrow averted his gaze, one hand lifting to rub the back of his neck. “I have a twin sister but… She didn’t inherit the same abilities as I did. I have a pretty fair balance of all our bloods. Raven was basically born a horned each-uisge with a few extra powers. It drove a wedge between us growing up. She ran away from the herd when we were fifteen. Last I heard she had gathered up a bunch of kelpies and had started her own herd, terrorizing anyone who came near the lake they claimed as their home.”</p><p>“I’ve heard of that area.” James frowned, recalling all the stories of the murderous demon horses. It made him uncomfortable to know that the male in front of them had a connection to them. Not because he thought the stallion was a threat to them but because he was concerned that this twin sister might try to coerce her brother into joining her herd if she ever learned just how valuable an ally he could be. If the mare ever caught wind of the strength of her twin’s healing powers…</p><p>“I thought you might have. She’s not part of the organization running these hell holes as far as I know but I wouldn’t put it past her to be handing over mythics she catches in her territory in exchange for her and her herd being left alone.” Qrow hated to speak ill of his twin but he also knew the kind of person she was. As much as he didn’t like it, there was a very real possibility of running into her during one of their missions. He’d rather they all be prepared for it. </p><p>“So,” Tai sat back in his seat, considering something, “the real reason you hadn’t wanted to tell us what kind of alicorn you were was because you didn’t want us to know about the demonic thing. You still could have said something about the phoenix. Why didn’t you? It would have given us enough of an answer that we wouldn’t have looked any deeper…”</p><p>“I…” Qrow hesitated, like he wasn’t sure how he wanted to answer. The alphas let him think it through even if the curiosity was eating at them. “I know I could have. It’s what I’ve done in the past but… I didn’t want to do that with the three of you. It felt more like an all or nothing kind of situation and I chose nothing because I didn’t know you at the time.”</p><p>“You didn’t want to lie to us, even by omission so you let us know that you had more than one line but didn’t tell us which ones.” Clover concluded for him, looking for some kind of confirmation that he was right. Qrow ducked his head but nodded, feeling like it would be the best explanation any of them could give.</p><p>“Well, in any case, your secret is safe with us. Though I can tell you that none of the mythics in Star Liberty will care much as long as you don’t cause any harm. In fact I’m quite certain that the story of you saving Clover will outweigh any mention of your demonic blood should it become known.” James promised, one arm going around the selkie’s waist to hold him closer. He would never forget the terror that shot through him when he realized Clover (and by extension Qrow) was in danger. There was a part of him (that he was stubbornly ignoring) that wanted desperately to forge a mating bond with Qrow so they could keep tabs on him while out on missions as well. (It didn’t overshadow the part of him that wanted the alicorn as their mate for their own reasons but it was nearly as loud.) </p><p>“Speaking of which… I hadn’t known a phoenix could use their fire like that. I thought the stories of them said they either heal with their tears or with their songs…” Tai almost sat forward again but didn’t want to risk coming across as too forceful. Instead he made himself relax back into the couch and leaned against James.</p><p>“Oh! That…” A rather fetching blush covered the pale face, momentarily distracting the three of them to various degrees. “Tears and singing are the usual methods but whatever they had injected into Clover was kind of breaking down his genetic code and rewriting it so they could study it better. At least, that’s what I got out of the talk they had. I wasn’t sure healing alone would have been enough so I used the connection forged by my horn to his heart to channel a phoenix’s ability to regenerate through fire.”</p><p>“Clever.”</p><p>“I didn’t know for certain if it would work but I had to try…”</p><p>“And we’re grateful you did.” James added before the omega had a chance to down talk the risk he’d taken or the task he’d accomplished. </p><p>The flow of conversation moved to other matters after that, covering the recovery of the mythics they’d saved and whether or not Qrow needed anything for his house. (The triad asked him this often so he didn’t think much of it. He just told them he didn’t need anything so he wouldn’t be a burden to them. He could get whatever he needed later on his own.) Qrow tried not to linger too long, heading home as soon as was appropriate before the ache in his heart could become obvious to the friends he’d made. He had no way of explaining his heartsickness without admitting that he’d fallen for the three of them and making things awkward. The last thing he wanted was to lose the best (only) friends he had because he couldn’t keep his emotions in check.</p><p>After Qrow had departed, the alphas each sought ways of releasing their mounting frustration. Tai went to the shed outside to work with the wood, James went to the garage to work on the vehicles and Clover went to their crafting room. The smaller male wouldn’t let them provide anything for him and it was wrecking their instincts. They had to figure out some way of getting through to him before their hindbrains drove them mad. If the omega wouldn’t admit to needing anything then they would just have to figure out things he might want to provide for him. The question was, what would the male desire that he wouldn’t ever get for himself…</p><p>~</p><p>Qrow blinked down at the (beautiful) jewelry box that wasn’t empty like he expected it to be. It stood at least a foot and a half tall with two necklace wheels hanging from the top (both with necklaces already on them) and had six pockets under the wheels (with bracelets in each of them) and two doors with etched glass on the front. (The etchings were feathers.) There were two drawers under that, one filled with rings and the other with ear cuffs and various other jewelry that were less common. There was no maker’s mark on any of the items which meant <i>all of it</i> was hand-crafted. All the jewelry was in a style similar to what he already wore so at least he knew he’d use them but he didn’t know why it had shown up at his house. </p><p>He could only think of three people who would have given him such a thing but he couldn’t come up with a reason why his friends would send him a gift except… maybe it was a thank you for what he’d done for Clover. (Or for trusting them with his secret.) </p><p>Yea. That made sense.</p><p>They didn’t need to give him anything, he was glad to have helped, but he understood the need to give something to show appreciation. So he resolved to wear some of his new jewelry the next time he saw them. That way they would know he understood their gratefulness and they could move on. (He viciously shut up the part of his hindbrain that tried to take it as a courting gift. They were happily mated, trying to inject himself into their relationship would just ruin everything.) He took the box inside so he could look more closely at the pieces and decide which ones he wanted to wear first. He’d been invited over for dinner again and wearing a few bits of the jewelry he’d been given would be a nice gesture.</p><p>~</p><p>“So the medics finally discovered what all was done to Clover?” He repressed a shudder at the memory of being locked in his restraints while the alpha was chemically tortured. </p><p>“Not all of it. There are two other bloodlines in him that were enhanced by the injection. One was an alicanto. The other they are still examining.” James sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “It may be awhile before we figure it out. There are a lot of possibilities. We’re still trying to figure out everything that was done to Tai and now this…” </p><p>Qrow reached out to place a comforting hand on the strong shoulder. “They’ll be back soon. Maybe they’ll have news from the medics about what this third line is and we’ll be able to ensure he has everything he needs to stay safe.” Somehow he wasn’t really surprised at the information. Alicanto seemed to fit the brunette well. He wondered if his coloring would be gold or silver. Maybe some combination of them due to being a hybrid instead of a full-blood… </p><p>The griffon was already under so much stress from shouldering the responsibility of leading Star Liberty and freeing as many of the mythics as they could, having his own mates be victims had to be wearing him down in a way that was worse than anything else given his nature compared to the other two. James seemed to be the one most inclined to protecting while Tai appeared to be the one who preferred to provide and Clover was the mate that supported them in any way they needed. (If he’d been talking to Tai he would have said they would make sure he had everything he needed to stay healthy.) He wondered what kind of changes having his other bloodlines would cause. Maybe the selkie would gain a new form or two from this. He knew the younger alpha felt less useful sometimes due to his limited shifting abilities. Qrow prayed for him that something good could come out of this situation. (The irony of praying for good luck for a bird of good fortune wasn’t lost on him.)</p><p>~</p><p>“Can you actually shift into phoenix form or just the alicorn body?” Well… That wasn’t the oddest way he’d had a conversation started but it was pretty close. Teal eyes bore into him with an unfamiliar intensity. </p><p>“Uhh…” Qrow squirmed, debating for all of a second before answering, his thoughts turning a little hazy. There was something about the other that was pulling at him, almost physically. It wasn’t like anything he’d felt before and he didn’t think the other knew he was doing it but it was taking all of Qrow’s willpower not to fall into the other’s arms. He shook his head to clear it and bring his thoughts back to the topic at hand. “I have a lot of forms I can take but the alicorn is the one I’m most comfortable in that doesn’t terrify people. Phoenix is one form I can take but it looks a bit different than a full-blooded phoenix. Would that matter to the reason you’re asking?”</p><p>“I don’t think it would matter… I just was wondering if you could maybe, possibly help me learn to shift into an alicanto. I know they aren’t the same but they’re both birds so I thought maybe the process would be similar?” </p><p>“Well,” Qrow rolled his shoulders, thinking it through, “you’re not wrong. A shift is a shift no matter the form. Either Tai or Jimmy could help you out. Flying would be different though so I guess on that front I’m the best you’re gonna get of the three of us… You could ask around Star Liberty and probably find someone better to teach you if you really wanted.”</p><p>Clover tugged him up out of the chair and dragged him to the backdoor. “You say that like you’re the worst option. I bet with you showing me what to do, I’ll be flying before Tai and James get done with their work in a couple hours.”</p><p>“Aren’t you on medical leave until the medics clear you?”</p><p>“Uhhh…” That made the selkie pause before he was dragged outside into the backyard. “What they don’t know won’t hurt me.” </p><p>Qrow was pretty sure that wasn’t how it worked (or was worded) but he decided that arguing the point would run the risk of the younger male leaving and trying to do it on his own. Which would be way more dangerous with a higher chance of him hurting himself. Sighing, the alicorn chose the lesser of the two evils. (It didn’t help that the damned pull was still affecting him. Just what the hell was it?) “The first thing you need to do is clear your mind and focus inwards. You should be able to feel the energy from each bloodline. The hard part here is determining which is which and then only pulling the thread of energy you need out of it. So start by taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly…”</p><p>~</p><p>Taiyang had been floored when he’d shown up to find a large silver and gold bird perched next to a black and red phoenix. James hadn’t been overly pleased either. (The blond had spent a good two hours scolding them- mostly Clover- for their recklessness while the older alpha had sat with his head in his hands the whole time.) The young man’s older mates had insisted he get checked by the medics, who spent a bit of their own time scolding the alpha before they declared him fine. (They extended his medical leave though. Qrow was certain it was in retailiation for being dumb.)</p><p>Clover took it all well, promising not to shift anymore until he was cleared. Now that he knew how to, he wasn’t as worried about it. Once he was given the green light all bets were off though. The selkie had already informed the three of them of his plans to practice his flying when he was allowed to. (The medics still didn’t know what his third blood was but it seemed harmless.) The brunette had already declared his intent to ask Qrow as many questions as he could about bird forms before he was cleared so that he would be ready for it. Qrow wasn’t sure how to feel about this… </p><p>~</p><p>“You want what?” There was no way he could have heard that properly. Crimson eyes flicked down to the object being held out to him. </p><p>“It’s only for a couple hours. Please. We trust you to keep it safe while we check this out.” Clover continued to hold out his seal skin to the stunned alicorn. </p><p>“Jimmy and Tai usually hold onto this while you guys are out, why change that now?” Qrow resisted the urge to take a step back. The significance of what was being held out to him was not lost on the omega and he was beyond nervous of accepting the responsibility. </p><p>“What we’re looking into may be an Isonade-kin. They naturally prey on selkies and having his skin with us will identify him as one immediately. With his skin here, Clover can pass as an alicanto instead.” Wide eyes flicked up to meet pale blue, mind still stuck on the request. (One that made perfect sense. The giant shark monsters ate entire communities of selkies at a time if they weren’t defeated.) </p><p>“But we don’t want to leave it unguarded. So we’re asking you to keep his skin safe for us.” </p><p>Heart thundering and breath catching, Qrow carefully accepted the grey skin, gathering it close to his chest once it was in his possession. A part of his mind noticed distantly that it was soft and smooth and cool against the skin of his arms. He still wasn’t entirely certain that this was a good idea but he was determined not to fail them. “Okay. I’ll protect it for as long as you need me to.” He promised the triad, ducking his head at the sight of the pleased and proud smiles they gave him before they turned and shifted to fly off for their mission. Glancing around to ensure he was alone, the alicorn hurried inside to hide the skin where it wouldn’t be found. (He didn’t think anyone in Star Liberty was a threat but there was no guarantee and it was always better to be safe.)</p><p>~</p><p>The omega’s thoughts were clouded, his body felt tingly and weird. Hot and cold at the same time. He needed to be closer. Qrow’s head was only filled with that thought as he pressed himself against the strong, cool body, breathing in the scent of oceans and mint. He vaguely recognized the sensation but he just couldn’t focus enough to remember when he had felt it before. He couldn’t even focus on the voices around him as bits and pieces went in one ear and out the other.</p><p>“...to him?”</p><p>“...n’t know… not on pur…”</p><p>“St… He might… heat?”</p><p>“Possi… healers… know…”</p><p>“Try… room or wat…”</p><p>There were hands on his hip pulling him away from where he needed to be and he whined unhappily as the other was removed from him (or he was removed from the other, he wasn’t actually sure what was going on, only that they weren’t together anymore). He was held tight against a form that felt scorching in comparison. Qrow couldn’t focus enough to squirm free of the grip and it took several minutes for his head to clear enough to realize Taiyang was talking to him and leading him away. It took even longer for him to start understanding anything the blond was saying. </p><p>“...ow what happened but we’re going to figure it out. Hopefully by the time we make it back to your place you’ll be coherent again and able to take care of yourself…”</p><p>“I feel hot. Why do I feel hot?” Qrow pulled at the collar of his shirt, trying to cool down even a little bit as the strange feeling of cold vanished the further he got from the traid’s home. He sort of remembered going there to return the skin now that they had finished their mission. What had happened after he gave it back to them?</p><p>“Oh! Hey! Welcome back. Something triggered a heat. Well, something about Clover triggered your heat anyways. He feels awful about that by the way.”</p><p>“But you guys gave me suppressants to try and it’s not even close to my time for this season…”</p><p>“Yea, James is looking into what might have caused it. He called the medics after we realized something was going on. For now, I’m going to take you home and let you do your thing. When you’re better you can come over and we’ll tell you whatever we’ve learned.”</p><p>Qrow bit down on his tongue to stop the impulsive plea that the three of them not leave him alone with his heat again. It wasn’t fair to them or their friendship for him to make such a request. Especially since they all probably felt a bit guilty or responsible for it since apparently something about Clover had caused it. He’d simply have to get himself through it the same way he had gotten through his first heat here. (He tried to convince himself the thought wasn’t as painful and hollow as it actually was.) </p><p>Qrow stumbled into his house, waving Tai off at the door. (If the alpha crossed the threshold, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to control himself any better than he had back at their house and <i>Holy shit!</i> He’d been grinding on Clover while in that weird trance. That had to have been awkward for all of them. He hoped the younger male was alright.) The alicorn ignored the loneliness that always came from being the only one in his too big house and made his way to the bedroom. Pushing all thoughts of the alphas out of his mind, Qrow stripped and dragged out his kit. </p><p>(Hard as he tried he couldn’t completely ignore the ache in his chest or the tears that slipped down his cheeks. They were each other’s, not his. They would never be his. He really needed to get over the triad before he did something drastic, he just didn’t know how…)</p><p>~</p><p>It was Clover that opened the door when he next visited, looking so remorseful that Qrow was ready to cry for him. “I’m so sorry. I swear I didn’t mean to! I didn’t even know I could do that!”</p><p>“Hold up.” Qrow put up both hands to stop the other before he confused him even further. “I don’t know exactly what happened but I know it wasn’t on purpose. Why don’t we go inside and sit down and then you can tell me what happened.”</p><p>“Right. Sorry.” The fretting selkie led the way into the dinning room where a small meal had already been set out by Tai with James finishing by bringing out drinks for them all. </p><p>“Qrow, I’m glad you could join us tonight. I was able to describe what had happened to the medics and with the additional information they determined what Clover’s last bloodline is.” For what should have been good news, the triad seemed rather anxious and none of them were keeping eye contact. Considering they knew his demonic heritage he doubted the gentle alpha was dangerous in the same sense he was.</p><p>But then why were they being so cautious with him? Maybe he was incubus? </p><p>“Are you demonic too then?”</p><p>“No! Ah, no. I’m, uh…” Clover’s shoulders hunched as a blush covered his face. Qrow tipped his head curiously as James placed a comforting hand on the youngest alpha’s shoulder. Tai took pity on his younger lover and explained for him.</p><p>“Ever heard of a trauco?”</p><p>“Ummmm… No, not that I can recall.”</p><p>“They’re… well. They’re a fertility spirit that can put humans or mythics into a trance so that they can mate with them. They usually have to bang a club on a tree or something I think, the medics didn’t tell Jim much about that part, but since Clover’s a hybrid his power works a bit different.”</p><p>“So he put me in a trance and that’s what triggered my heat?”</p><p>“...Yea. I did that…”</p><p>“But you didn’t know you were doing it. So now that you know, you can learn to control it. Do I need to stay away while you’re learning?”</p><p>“Clover learns fast as you should be aware since you taught him how to bird, before I caught you and made you stop, but you’ll need to be more careful about dropping in just in case he’s practicing or something.” They didn’t want to mate the other against his will, not after all the times he’d been used by alphas in the past. If (when) they mated Qrow, they wanted it to be his choice and on his terms. (If only he would tell them what those terms were so they could meet them!)</p><p>“Right. Got it.” Of course they would want him to be careful. If Clover sent him into another heat he could trigger their ruts and that would not only get him pregnant (stupid fertility spirits) but it also ran the risk of them mating him by accident. </p><p>James watched silently as Tai took over the conversation with Qrow, sharing the information they had and bouncing ideas for how Clover could practice between them. He took in every detail of the omega, trying to pick up anything that would tell them what more they needed to do to court the beautiful male. He knew the smaller raven was as drawn to them as they were to him but the alicorn still held back. There was a quiet pain when the omega watched them sometimes and the griffon still hadn’t figured out what caused it. The other two had noticed it as well but all of them were at a loss for how to approach him. To their knowledge, he’d never been mated before (he didn’t bear any marks on his neck anyways, though that wasn’t the only place a mating bite could exist, just the most common) so they didn’t think he was missing a past lover. (Or at least he better not be considering he hadn’t known what prepping was. Any alpha that took a mate and treated them that badly didn’t deserve them.) So what caused that hurt? And how did they soothe it?</p><p>~</p><p>Bleary crimson eyes blinked at the griffon standing just outside his door. The solid knocking had woken him up from the impromptu nap he’d been taking on his couch but he wasn’t really complaining. Not when the result had him curled up on the couch next to the griffon. Strangely the other seemed nervous. A sharp contrast to the confidence the older male almost always exuded. He wondered what had caused the change. Maybe Jimmy needed help thinking of a gift for one of his lovers? Qrow didn’t know when any birthdays or anniversaries were for the three (the subject hadn’t come up yet) but it was possible such a date was approaching.</p><p>Eventually James seemed to decide on what he wanted to say. “Qrow, please understand that I’m not trying to upset you or make you uncomfortable. I just want to understand and clear the air between you and us.”</p><p>A thread of tension wound itself around Qrow’s heart and he instinctively curled tighter, expecting the large alpha to tell him he needed to back off of his mates. James paused, worried when the scent of distress spiked through the air for all that the omega looked calm. His alpha instincts immediately reared up, urging him to comfort the omega but without knowing what had caused the distress he didn’t know what to do to help. Deciding that the only thing to do was to continue with his current course of action, James braced himself to lay it all out. He would deal with the aftermath when he was done.</p><p>“I know that alphas haven’t treated you well in the past but I hope that me and the others have shown you that not all alphas are so… careless with their mates. We just need to know what it is we need to do.” The smaller raven blinked, adorably confused as he tipped his head. At least the distress had left his scent. “We’ve tried courting you as best we could without being invasive or overbearing but it doesn’t seem to be enough. If you could just tell us what you need from us we would gladly give it… Qrow?”</p><p>The alicorn’s eyes were wide, staring at him without seeming to actually see him, and for a moment James worried the other was sick. He lifted a hand to feel the other’s forehead in concern, pulling away in confusion when Qrow ducked away with a blush. “You three have been courting me?”</p><p>“You didn’t know?”</p><p>“I’ve never been courted before. I never really had a friend either. I thought you were just trying to help me fit in…”</p><p>“I… I can see how that would be misunderstood by someone with no experience. My apologies. We’ve been operating under the assumption that you were familiar with certain courting practices and we should have guessed better when we learned your history with alphas…”</p><p>“I could have asked.”</p><p>“No. We should have approached you properly.” James said firmly, effectively ending that argument unless Qrow wanted to start a fight. He really didn’t so he let it lie. (For the moment anyways.) “Now the question becomes, will you allow us to continue courting you now that you know what we’re doing or would you like us to stop?”</p><p>“Don’t stop! I’ll be better, I promise.”</p><p>“Qrow,” James cupped a pale cheek, brushing his thumb under a bright eye, “you’re perfect as you are. <i>We</i> will be better and court you the way we should have from the beginning.” </p><p>The omega offered a small, hopeful smile as he felt some of the familiar ache lessen. The knowledge that they wanted him was a bit dizzying after he’d spent so much time convincing himself they never would. So many things made more sense now, like how they were always asking if he needed anything. (The jewelry box <i>was</i> a courting gift!) His omega hindbrain preened at the fact that he had three strong alphas seeking him as a mate while James made plans with him for their first proper date. (It also woke all kinds of instincts he’d long since buried, convinced no alpha would ever keep him. It was the part of him that was already planning what he would wear from the jewelry box. The part examining what clothes they had seemed to compliment the most when he’d thought they were just being friendly.) </p><p>He wasn’t overly familiar with courting (something he’d have to rectify in the immediate future) but he did know (or thought he knew) that it was a two way street. He had to put in as much effort as they did if he wanted this to work. (And he really, really wanted it to.) </p><p>~</p><p>Qrow returned to his house, flushed with pleasure and embarrassment in equal measure. While he was incredibly thrilled to know that the alphas wanted him as their mate, he wasn’t sure how to handle the attention they lavished him with now that they felt they actually had permission. Even after the months that they had been dating him officially. They’d been holding back before, when they’d been uncertain if they would be welcomed. It was a bit overwhelming to be completely honest but he wasn’t sure he wanted them to change. (James and Taiyang had needed to insert themselves between him and Clover a few times though. The young alpha was learning his abilities but he still didn’t have complete control.)</p><p>Earlier in the night they had asked him to consider the possibility of moving in with them. With many promises and assurances that he would still have his own space, with a bedroom, until he was ready to stay in their mated bedroom. Discovering that they all had their own rooms in addition to the shared one explained why the house was so large. He was grateful for the knowledge because he wasn’t certain he was ready to share a bed with so many others. Qrow planned to think it over for at least a week (there were some questions he felt he should ask first that he’d been too flustered to ask when they’d made the request) before he gave them an answer but he was already pretty sure he was going to accept. </p><p>Three weeks later, red eyes rolled fondly as he was only allowed to lift the lighter objects and boxes. If he thought or felt for a second that they were doing it because they actually believed he shouldn’t be moving the heavy objects he’d snap at them in a heartbeat. Instead he let it slide because he understood that it was a combination of alpha instincts and their desire to take care of him. (They seemed to think they needed to make up for the abuse past alphas had put him through. He was seriously going to have to talk to them about that soon. This wasn’t going to work if they treated him like he was made of crystal.) He let out a quiet breath when the last of his things were brought in and the three left him to get settled. There was a little thrill tingling under his skin that he suspected would be sticking around for a while as he looked around his new home. </p><p>~</p><p>It had taken a three hour discussion but he had finally (mostly) convinced the alphas that they didn’t need to make up for what had been done to him before they met him. (They still required a small reminder here and there.) That didn’t stop them from trying to spoil him whenever they felt like it though, and after a few misunderstandings he’d learned to tell when they were doing it because they wanted to or when they were doing it because they felt they needed to. Things had gotten a bit rough on their end as well while they learned to tell when he needed his own space because he was overwhelmed or when he was pulling away because of past hurts and they needed to hold closer. </p><p>It wasn’t perfect by definition but it was perfect to them and that was all that mattered.</p><p>The question now was whether or not he was ready to join the mating bond between the three of them. Clover’s rut for the season was coming soon (the suppressants didn’t work on him now that the trauco blood was so strong) and they needed to decide how to handle it. Before the omega had become part of the relationship the answer was easy, but with him involved things became more complicated. (They wouldn’t let him feel guilty for it however. All three insisted that him being with them was more than worth the extra complication.) </p><p> The selkie had volunteered to isolate himself and deal with it alone (and been immediately vetoed by all three of his lovers) but the older alphas had suggested that one of them stay with him to help him through it while the other stayed with Qrow. The debate between them stemmed primarily around who should do which. James seemed to think Taiyang should stay with Clover because he had more experience with mating cycles. (Like Qrow, the longma hadn’t started suppressants until later in life while James and Clover had been on them since their first ruts.) Taiyang seemed to believe that James as the eldest (by a year) should be the one to take care of Clover. Clover was stressed out of his mind with both his mated lovers at odds with each other and their third lover not even an option for obvious reasons. (They were nowhere near ready to be parents.) </p><p>Which led to Qrow seeking out a family in the forests of Star Liberty. Ozpin and Salem Goodwitch were mythics known for unusually strong magic of natures not commonly found. He was hoping that perhaps they or one of their four daughters (Glynda, May, Gale, and Jellia) would have magic strong enough to prevent Clover from impregnating him during his rut so that all four of them could spend it together. (Gale had married a man named Tip Pine and had a son they named Oscar but he knew she lived near her family.) Even with that goal in mind he was nervous as he knocked on the door, understanding that if this worked he’d be mated to the three of them.</p><p>(It wasn’t that he didn’t want the bond, he wanted more than anything else. He just wasn’t sure they were ready for it. There were still so many small things they were working out in their relationship.)</p><p>He jumped slightly when a beautiful woman with blond hair and blue eyes opened the door. Welcoming him into their home, he explained the situation as candidly as possible, not wanting to be misunderstood by accident. He was sure the older mythics had heard it all before from someone in the past anyways. The (seemingly ancient but still ageless) couple listened closely, both offering a benign smile when he finished.</p><p>“You’ve thought this through quite well. I don’t think there are any questions for us to ask at all.” Ozpin leaned forward on the dinning table with his hand steepled before him.</p><p>His wife poured more of whatever they were drinking into her cup. (It didn’t smell like coffee or tea but he couldn’t identify what it actually was.) “We actually do have a spell like that. It’s why we only have four daughters ourselves.” Oz dropped his head to his hands in exasperation and Qrow fought not to blush. That really wasn’t something he wanted to think about but he supposed it was fair given what he’d had to describe to them.</p><p>Lifting his head back up with a heavy sigh the older male gave Salem a bit of a cross look before turning back to their guest. “It’s typically a potion but since that will wear off eventually I would suggest us weaving it into a piece of jewelry that you could keep on during your mating cycle. That way it will be active as long as you are wearing it.”</p><p>“If you are willing to leave this one with us,” Salem briefly touched a silver and moonstone ring on his left middle finger, “we could have it ready within three days. You will need a day of wearing it for it to take effect and a day without it for the effect to wear off. Would that be soon enough?”</p><p>“I wasn’t given an exact time for when his rut is expected to hit him but I was told that it wouldn’t be for a couple weeks so a few days should be more than enough. What do I-”</p><p>“Nothing.” Ozpin held up a hand, stalling him before he finished his question. “You owe us nothing for this. Consider it a mating gift if you must but we are pleased to help in such a way.”</p><p>“We really are.” Salem insisted when Qrow seemed hesitant to accept the answer he was given. “There are few mates who think of such a solution in such a situation and merely leave each other to deal with it alone as you and your mates refuse to do. It’s an honor to be of help to such loving mates. And especially to one who is so much like myself.” Briefly her hair turned white and her eyes black and red, black veins on her face and long claws at the tips of her fingers. Qrow blinked and she was once again the gentle looking blond woman with the soft blue eyes who had first opened the door. The realization of what she’d shown him made him sigh with relief.</p><p>She was half holy and unholy like he was. </p><p>He’d never met another hybrid with their combination and as he left the ring in their care and set off for home, he resolved to visit more in the future. He didn’t even care if she told him what her bloodlines were. He wouldn’t judge her if she decided to keep it silent. Their kind were so rare it was unlikely she had met many others like him. So he suspected she would treat him the same. If they would not let him pay them for the work being done on his ring then he could at least offer his friendship. </p><p>~</p><p>Qrow bit his lip as he spun the ring on his finger. He’d gotten it back two days ago so he knew that the magic inside it was in effect. (He could actually <i>feel</i> it like a faint weight inside him, resting in his pelvic space. It was odd but not unpleasant and he suspected that once he got used to it he wouldn’t even notice it anymore.) The task he had now was to talk to his three alphas and explain what he’d done and why. He just hoped they wouldn’t be upset with him for it. (They had no reason to be. It was reversible and hadn’t cost him anything but the old fear instilled in him by the alphas of his herd still persisted even after years of being in Star Liberty.) The alicorn was sure that the three larger men knew he was up to something.</p><p>That morning, before everyone had left to complete their individual tasks for the day, he’d demanded that the four of them come to sit down in the living room to talk it out once and for all. Unfortunately he’d finished first and that left him with far too much time to think things through. The lithe male paced the length of the living room, anxious about the talk even though he knew, logically, that he had no real reason to be. (Damn the alphas of his herd. He was sure that if they hadn’t drilled it into him- sometimes literally- that breeding was his only purpose he’d be handling this much more calmly.) </p><p>James, surprisingly, came home first. (He was usually the last to return.) The griffon noticed his distress and coaxed him into sitting with him on the couch while they waited, running one hand soothingly up and down his back while they talked about their day. Clover walked in just as the alicorn had relaxed enough to start drifting off, taking the seat on the other side of the slender raven while they waited for their last lover to come home. Tai came in a couple hours later, dragging his feet from a day helping out at the clinic with the mythics they’d helped save. A small smile touched his lips at seeing the three of them snuggled together on the couch. It was a nice sight after the tension that they’d been facing the last few weeks. Ever since they learned that the suppressants wouldn’t help Clover anymore. </p><p>He trudged over and plopped down, leaning heavily against James as his actions jolted the two on the other side of the griffon. The four sat quietly for a few minutes, letting the movie run while they unwound from the day’s stress. There was a discussion to be had, decisions to be made, but for the time they just existed together. The longma simply pressed his nose into James’ shoulder, breathing in the elder’s scent of rain and forest. He felt the other tip his head and take in his own scent of honey and summer. It was reassuring to be so close to the griffon after the weeks of arguing. He hated that they’d been at odds so much but here and now (for just a little while) he could pretend that everything was fine. Eventually the movie came to an end and as the credits started to roll, Qrow leaned forward to shut everything off. </p><p>It was time to talk.</p><p>Qrow shifted from between Clover and James to sit on the coffee table, folding his legs in front of him and ignoring the frown Tai and James gave him for using the table in such a manner. (They had couches and chairs for a reason!) He twisted the ring on his finger again, breathing deeply to center himself for what he was going to say. “First of all- don’t interrupt me, okay? I’ve got a lot to say and I want to get it all out.” The alphas looked confused but nodded to show they understood. “Okay. Good.</p><p>“I don’t like the fact that this whole thing with Clover’s rut is putting a strain on our relationship. I do agree that we should be there for him and I understand why we want to keep me and Clover seperate for this. But it isn’t fair to any of us that the separation is necessary. So, I went to the Goodwitch’s home to talk to them because I had an idea. I asked them if they had any magic that could act as a contraceptive against a fertility spirit and they did. They wove the spell into my ring, which means as long as I’m wearing it I can’t get pregnant. And that means we don’t have to split up for Clover’s rut. We can all spend it together.”</p><p>Clover looked absolutely shocked by the end of the explanation, while James and Taiyang both seemed stunned. It was glaringly obvious that none of them had even considered or entertained the possibility. (The idea that they’d been resigned to being split up for not only this rut of Clover’s but all of them was saddening.) </p><p>“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” James asked, leaning forward to take the hand with the moonstone ring on it. (He moved it from his middle finger to his ring finger when he’d gotten it back.)</p><p>“I’ve been thinking about it since we got the news. Them enchanting the ring just solidified my answer. I’ve already moved in with you. Waiting isn’t going to make me any more sure than I already am.”</p><p>“Well… If you’re sure then we need to start making arrangements.” Tai smiled, relieved that they had an answer now after so much time trying to come to an agreement. </p><p>Clover slid forward and kissed Qrow gently, doing his best to convey just how grateful he was through actions since he lacked the words to get the message across. A warm flush washed over the omega, pleasure at the knowledge he’d solved the problem for his alphas. The brunette pulled back, laughing as the small raven tried to chase after his lips, settling back into the cushions to truly relax for the first time since he’d learned about his condition. Qrow blushed prettily and crawled back into his former seat, squeezing in between the selkie and the griffon while the longma turned everything back on for them to watch another movie together. They could make arrangements tomorrow. There was no reason to stress now that they had a plan.</p><p>~</p><p>Clover shivered under the spray of hot water, trying to ignore the building fever. He rolled his shoulder to relieve the tension (it didn’t work) and ducked back under the spray. The shower wasn’t helping him feel any better so he figured maybe a nap would help. Turning the water off, he barely bothered to dry off before stumbling into their mating bedroom and collapsing in the huge bed they shared. Being surrounded by the scents of his lovers (Qrow had started sleeping in the bed with them regularly since he’d decided to join their mating bond) helped calm whatever was going on with him. He shifted restlessly on the sheets, making a noise of confusion when he realized he was hard. It took his sluggish mind several minutes of staring uncomprehendingly down at his lap before it occurred to him what was happening. </p><p>His rut was starting. </p><p>The selkie fell back on the bed as he palmed himself, trying to relieve the pressure that was building while he waited for his mates to come home. He knew he could call them and they would return immediately (they would want him to call) but he couldn’t focus enough to actually do it. He’d only been through one rut before, his first one, but this felt different. Not more intense but harder to think clearly. He kind of missed the overwhelming heat that raced through his veins from his first rut. At least then he’d been able to focus enough to call his mates and tell them what was happening. </p><p>There was a noise in the room with him, something beautiful and soothing before a cool touch jolted his eyes open. Pale red, a shade he knew well, stared down at him. Tanned hands wrapped around a tapered waist and the broad male rolled the smaller alicorn under him. He swallowed the other’s startled gasp, pressing his erection against the rough fabric the sweet smelling omega was still wearing. Well. That wouldn’t do at all. He pulled back to clumsily try to remove the clothing that kept him from reaching the smooth pale skin. Slender but strong hands joined him, successfully removing the pieces he was hopelessly pulling at. He was pulled back into the cradle of tempting thighs, an eager mouth meeting his once again. Clover rolled his hips against the answering hardness he felt, groaning low in his throat. </p><p>That soothing, beautiful noise was back in his ear and it took him a few moments to realize it was the omega (Qrow, his name was Qrow) talking to him. He couldn’t make out the words but the hands ran over his back, pulling him closer. He went with it, mouthing at the exposed neck and collarbone before he pulled away. Growling lightly he flipped the pale body over and ran a line of open-mouthed kisses down the spine of his lover. He didn’t even pause when he got to the base, cupping one cheek in each hand to spread them apart. The sweet scent was stronger here from the slick running down the muscled thighs and Clover licked his way up to the source, the taste of cherries and champagne heavy on his tongue. The wail he drew out of the smaller male was music to him as he worked him open with his mouth. (Some part of his still working mind told him it was vitally important that he do this.)</p><p>Other noises came from behind him, other voices lingering in his ears. A scorching hand ran down his back, the scent of honey and summer, of forests and rain, reaching him even through Qrow’s sweetness. His alpha mates had come home. He moaned in relief. They would know what to do. Strong, cool hand pulled him back drawing a helpless mewl from the omega and a whine from him. He was gently directed to the heat of his blond mate and quickly found himself squirming under the skilled attention of the longma. He could still hear whimpers from Qrow and the absence of James informed him that the griffon was probably the cause of the little sounds. Slick fingers worked him open while a hot mouth kept him occupied. Strangely enough (to his clouded mind) he was pushed away once he was loose. Clover tried to stay close, needing his mate, but the blond was insistent. </p><p>It wasn’t until he was guided by a cool hand into a slick, gripping heat that he realized the older alphas were pairing him up with Qrow before one of them took him. The relief he felt at being inside the omega cleared his mind enough that he could feel his eldest lover positioning himself behind him. He whined again, trying to buck back and take in the hardness against him but hands held him still from behind and long legs came up to hold him in place. A scorching mouth latched onto his neck, distracting him while James slid in slowly. Clover was beyond words now, beyond thought. He needed to move. He needed James to move. He needed Qrow to move with him. He needed Tai to help them reach that end. </p><p>He <i><b>needed</b></i>. </p><p>They gave him all of it. James pulled out, guiding him back with him and then thrust forward, Qrow’s legs pulling him in at the same time. The three of them built a steady rhythm with Tai using his hands and mouth to tease them here and there. Qrow had a hand around the blond’s own erection, ensuring he wasn’t left out even if he wasn’t part of the chain. Something Tai did tipped Qrow over the edge with a loud cry, triggering Clover’s release. He felt his knot lock them together growled, bucking back again to try to get James to join them. He was vaguely aware of a cry beside him (Qrow must have set off Tai somehow) before the alpha behind him gave one final thrust and lodged inside him. Panting heavily, he slumped in the strong arms, grateful that they kept him from crushing the lithe male below him, and closed his eyes, allowing his body to rest.</p><p>~</p><p>Teal eyes cracked open, immediately closing again when met with the bright sun. His head ached and he had no idea what day it was. Everything was hazy in his thoughts. Fingers brushed through his hair and a quiet voice whispered to him.</p><p>“Welcome back. Here, drink this.”</p><p>Sitting up with a groan, he took the offered glass of cool water, noting that the curtains had been pulled shut since he opened his eyes the first time. Qrow sat on the edge of the bed, smiling gently as Clover tried to organize his mind.</p><p>“Your rut lasted for about three days and you’ve been out for nearly another day after that, so you’ve lost about four days. James went to talk to the medic a couple hours ago to make sure everything was normal for what happened during your rut. We were all pretty out of it once we got going. Tai went to talk to the Goodwitchs in case they’d run into something like this before. They should be back soon.”</p><p>The brunette scrubbed a hand over his face. “I couldn’t even think. I knew who you were but I barely remembered your names. It was… distressing. Will it be like that every time now?” He remembered his first rut. It had been intense but he’d been able to think, to talk and communicate. The possibility of not being able to do that, even with the less intense need was horrifying. He’d take the intensity over the lack of ability any day.</p><p>“One of the others might know when they get back. For now, why don’t you come get something to eat with me.” The alicorn gently took his hand and led him through the house (he’d been wiped down and dressed at some point after his rut had ended) to the kitchen. </p><p>It wasn’t until he was nearly finished with the plate that was set in front of him that a thought occurred. “We didn’t mate you.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“During my rut. We didn’t mate you. I don’t remember ever giving you a mating bite or the others doing it either. And I can’t feel a bond…” His brows furrowed as he tried to reason it out. They had planned on Qrow joining the mating bond between them… Had he changed his mind and Clover didn’t remember?</p><p>“Oh! Yea, that.” The dark head ducked, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. “That was actually you. You weren’t really coherent but you were able to get across that you wanted to remember the mating bond, which kind of implied to us that you weren’t going to remember your rut.”</p><p>“Oh…”</p><p>“We were fine with it. We’d rather you remember as well. Come on, let’s go work on a puzzle or something while we wait for the others to get home.”</p><p>~</p><p>Taiyang walked into the house with a small book, a bag of supplies, and a necklace in hand. “I’ve got good news!”</p><p>All three of his lovers looked up from what they’d been doing in the living room. </p><p>“So do I. The healers informed me that what happened during Clover’s rut was normal but that it should eventually transition back to what we’re more familiar with.” </p><p>“That’s great but what I’ve got is better!” The longma grinned cheekily and set everything down on the table. “The Goodwitchs have been working on a suppressant for Clover since Qrow’s visit and they found something they think will work. <i>But</i> just in case it doesn’t they sent this necklace, which should make his rut a normal one instead of the weird trance rut we went through before.”</p><p>“Really!?” The selkie stared up at him in awe, completely floored that the family of casters (who’d he’d never met) had invested so much time and effort into helping him. </p><p>“Yep.” The blond flopped onto the seat next to the griffon, playfully nudging him as the brunette started rummaging through the things he’d brought home. “Told ya mine was better.”</p><p>The older raven rolled his eyes fondly, giving the blond alpha a kiss while the omega laughed at them and shook his head, moving to help the selkie make sense of the supplies and instructions.</p><p>~</p><p>Qrow moaned as Clover mouthed at his sensitive inner thigh. (He didn’t know what it was but the selkie seemed hyper focused on his legs compared to the other two alphas.) The alicorn leaned more heavily against Tai’s chest, the dragon-horse running his tongue over the juncture of his neck and shoulder on the left. James mouthed the same place on the right from where he sat next to them on the bed. He shivered at the first brush of teeth, anticipation thrumming through him. (The date wasn’t lost on him. It had been this day five years ago that they’d rescued him from that hell.) A powerful rush swept through him, blanking his mind, as all three sank their teeth in, breaking the skin and forming a bond with him. He’d deny it with his dying breath but the alicorn blacked out from the overwhelming sensation of connecting to all three of the alphas at once. Later, once he woke up and his head stopped spinning, he’d return the bite on all of them to complete the mating bond. </p><p>Maybe in a year or so he’d bring up the possibility of children.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm not gonna lie. There are parts of this that feel clunky to me and I'm not entirely happy with it but at the same time I am? Not sure how that works but whatever.</p><p>Discord: SykoShadowRose #2535</p><p>Feel free to message me if you'd like to talk.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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